Quiet Days
by MetaBlade
Summary: It was the quiet moments in their often adventure-filled lives that they enjoyed the most. (Oneshot)


**A/N: Hello again! It seems I'm on a bit of a roll with fanfiction.**

 **As some of you might know, writing short oneshots (i.e. under the 3000 word mark) has always been a problem for me. The last few oneshots I've published have all been pretty lengthy, so this story is the result of me deliberately challenging myself to write something shorter. I managed it in under 2000 words, and although it obviously doesn't have much of a plot, I'm fairly happy with this, considering its length.**

 **This is set post SMG (or SMG2), but that's not really relevant to the story.**

 **(P.S. The cover picture is off MarioWiki. I don't claim ownership of it.)**

* * *

 _Quiet Days_

The days that followed their adventure to save the universe from Bowser (albeit not for the first time) seemed to go by in a soft blur of warmth and laughter and playing sports in the brilliant sunshine. Summer was fast approaching, and it was impossible to ignore the fact that all of them would soon have obligations to deal with – Peach, in particular, needed to start organising her annual summer tennis tourney – but for now, nothing was stopping them from celebrating their most recent victory in peace and quiet.

Today, the four of them were relaxing in a large meadow just outside Toad Town's walls. It was a picturesque area; lush green grass that felt as soft as silk beneath their feet and multicoloured wildflowers growing everywhere like glittering stars in a clear night sky. And the weather was perfect for the picnic Peach had brought. She, Daisy, Mario and Luigi spent the afternoon sitting on the cool grass and enjoying the delicious food she'd packed so carefully, all the while laughing and discussing the time they spent exploring the galaxies.

'Did you hear about how I beat Bowser?' Mario was saying a bit too loudly, his voice threatening to shatter the peaceful atmosphere, but the two princesses just giggled at his predictable bragging. Peach leaned down to give him a fond kiss on the end of his nose.

'We've heard everything,' she said, though gently. 'You told us as soon as we all got back, remember?'

'Well...' Mario scratched the back of his head sheepishly, managing to look both awkward and pleased with himself at the same time – not an easy feat. 'Just in case you'd forgotten something?'

'How could we forget with you boasting about it all the time?' Daisy asked bluntly, causing the red-capped plumber to blush and avert his gaze even as Peach burst out into a less-than-princesslike bout of laughter. Even Luigi, who until then had been quietly lying back on the grass with his hands tucked behind his head, found himself chuckling slightly at the three's antics.

Peach regained her composure and smiled softly, putting a hand over her sort-of-boyfriend's. 'Mario, I know how much you did just to save me from Bowser. And I'm really grateful. Without you I might still be trapped there, or... or Bowser might have even destroyed the galaxy to create his own, evil one. So, thank you, Mario.' She squeezed his hand and gave him a smile so bright it could have rivalled the sun's rays.

Luigi sat up, brushing grass and dirt off his overalls. Leaving his brother to fumble and stammer awkwardly over Peach's passionate speech, he glanced at Daisy and ventured nervously, 'Um, w-want to go for a walk or something?'

She looked surprised, as he'd expected, but to his relief she nodded without hesitation. 'I'd love to.'

They stood and wandered away across the meadow together, unnoticed by the two lovebirds who were still sitting by the picnic blanket, gazing adoringly into each other's eyes.

Neither of them spoke for a while, but after they'd been walking for a minute or two, Luigi felt a set of warm fingers entwining with his own. Startled, he lifted his gaze to meet hers, mouth hanging half-open, silently asking the question he couldn't quite bring himself to say out loud.

But she just grinned, a little bit mischievously, and held his hand tighter as they walked down the gentle incline of the grassy hill, the blazing sun at their backs and a gentle summer breeze ruffling their hair.

When they reached the bottom of the hill and there was nowhere else to go without walking into the forest, Daisy halted them both. Their hands were still knitted together, something she didn't seem to be very aware of, although Luigi was.

'It's nice getting some peace and quiet, isn't it?' she said after a moment. 'I mean, don't get me wrong, I love all the adventures and excitement we have. Even when we have to rescue Peach from Bowser _again,_ it's kind of thrilling, you know? But it's nice to, well...' She trailed off, biting her lip as she realised how much she'd been rambling. But the small, rueful grin never faded. She often went off talking endlessly like this; it was a common occurrence when they were together, mostly because Luigi himself didn't talk very much. She always felt as if she had to fill the silence somehow, even though she knew it wasn't necessary at all.

And Luigi would be the last person to berate her for being too chatty, anyway. He gave a rare, tentative smile and, in a bold move so unlike him, put his other hand over their two joined ones and looked up at her. Despite having to squint a little because of the fiery sun just off to the side, he felt like he could've stayed in this position, without moving an inch, until night fell.

'Yeah,' he said quietly. 'It _is_ nice. But it's nicer when we're together.'

For a split second panic flashed behind his eyes as if he thought he'd said too much, but the look dissipated quickly. He knew deep down that Daisy wouldn't mock him for being sentimental, just as she knew he wouldn't be angry at her for her talkative personality. It was the way they were, and they'd come to accept each others' little quirks and habits a long time ago. They both had self-esteem issues – Daisy was just naturally better at concealing hers from the world while Luigi struggled to make himself appear strong on the best of days. But here, in the summer sunshine and with only each other for company, somehow they could come to terms with their own flaws. Nobody was perfect, least of all them, but that was all right. Their flaws, like their strengths, made up the people they were.

Without answering, Daisy wrapped her arm around him and gently pulled him against her side, prompting him to let out a barely-audible squeak of surprise before managing to relax into the hug.

'You're right,' the Sarasaland princess said at last. 'It's a lot better when it's just the two of us here. Peach is my best friend, and Mario's a cool guy, but it feels great to get away from everyone else sometimes. Is it selfish to think like that?'

He drew in a long, deep breath and let his eyes slide shut, inhaling the scent of flowers that always clung to her. 'No,' he answered sleepily. 'Or, if it is... I feel the same way.' He felt Daisy's arm tighten fractionally around him and didn't know what she was trying to convey with the little gesture. But a moment later she carefully rested her head on top of his, using his soft green cap as an improvised pillow, and the surprise was enough to jolt him out of his wandering thoughts, his eyes snapping open involuntarily.

'Is it OK if we just stay here for a little bit?' she asked him.

Luigi let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding until that point, and allowed himself to go limp in her embrace. It was hard for him, she could tell; he'd spent years shutting himself off and trying so hard to appear brave just so that he could stand on even footing with his hero of a brother. But around some people, like her, he was able to let it all go and just... relax.

'...Yes,' he said a while later, his quiet Italian-accented voice sounding more tired than nervous now. 'We can go back to Mario and Peach later, I guess.'

'Just what I was thinking.'

They remained in the same position, watching the sky darken and listening to each other's breathing until the blistering summer sun slipped below the western horizon.


End file.
